1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accounting system for a multimedia communications system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is expected that a multimedia communications system based on a broad-band communications technique becomes actualized in the near future. In such a multimedia communications system, it is possible to transmit not only speech information but also video information. It is possible to add information provided by a third party to communications information between subscribers (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 64-17553). Such additional information provided by the third party may be, for example, an advertisement relating to the third party.
In the multimedia communications system, a large amount of data can be transmitted. Hence, the charge for transmitting such a large amount of data will be very expensive according to the existing accounting systems. This will prevent practical use of the multimedia communications. Hence, an improved accounting system is desired for reducing the payment by the subscribers so that the subscribers utilize the multimedia communications services.
A conventional accounting system for charging payment for use of a communication medium (a communication line or channel) is based on the amount of information to be transmitted, the time needed for a communication, the time when the communication takes place (in the daytime or nighttime), and the area in which the remote terminal is located. Normally, the calling subscriber is required to pay the charge accounted by the above conventional accounting system.
As has been described previously, a large amount of data can be transmitted via the multimedia communications system. If the above conventional accounting system is applied to the multimedia communications system, the calling subscriber will be charged a large amount of money. Further, it will be expected that a company which provides multimedia communications services charges a high fee in order to defray the cost of constructing the multimedia communications system and the cost for maintaining the system. The above situations will prevent practical general use of multimedia communications services.